Research Agenda 2017: Platforms and Ecosystems

The fourth installment of the research agenda for 2017 (and beyond) is the basis for all the others to exist: Platforms and Ecosystems.

I told you a few weeks ago that I was changing the model for thinkJar (my company, in case you just know me – or neither) to publishing more structured research. Part of that commitment is creating a research agenda – but had to be something I can manage as a solo practitioner. Thus, I have created the agenda for the five topics I will cover, and have been publishing them here. So far,

With that bit of administration – let’s focus on Platforms and Ecosystems.

This should be a simple one, the cloud has three layers – Infrastructure, Platform, and Software – and this is where we deal with the middle layer. I have written extensively about the cloud before, and it is all summed up in my wonderful eBook “Defining a Pure, Open Cloud” (link to PDF) where I make the statement that I have sustained since the early 2000s, platforms are going to rule the way we use software in the enterprise.

That is still the case, and that is what I am putting into research and emphasis into this new year. For platforms to operate the proper way, ecosystems are essential. Much to the chagrin of — well, enterprise software vendors, there won’t be a simple business that can operate on a single platform; relationships between platforms become ecosystems and ecosystems are what deliver value in the cloud.

Pure, Open, and Simple.

The research I want to publish this year (and into the future) will focus on this: how can an organization embrace an open platform and create an ecosystem? To this end, I want to attack this from the following perspective:

March 7 – Definitions and Market Structure

April 11 – PE Trends and Adoptions in the Enterprise

May 23 – Use cases for PE

June 27 – Pulse of the PE Market

October 3 – Case Studies and Examples in PE

How can you help? How can I help you?

If you see something – say something!

But, no – seriously folks…

If you have an interesting story to tell, a point to discuss, a something to contribute – or any questions about the topic, please drop me a line. Any questions not related to the topic, the answer is 42 – but you already know that.

Tomorrow, the last installment of my research agenda: Customer Experiences and Engagement.

Anything to add?

disclaimers – what can i say? vendors are not guiding my research? said that already, this is complicated? said that too, you cannot get there from here without help? you know that. bottom line, i write my own research, do my own primary research, and everything i said is backed up with data and years of doing it. don’t try this at home.